A Bra-Line Back Lift is a relatively new
procedure which was published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal
in 2007. It is a form of a body lift technique. This procedure was
created by Dr. Joseph Hunstad, a Charlotte, North Carolina plastic surgeon.

The purpose of the Bra-Line Back Lift is to
improve the shape and contour of the upper and middle back by removing all the
back fat and rolls that can come on patients who have had excessive weight loss.
The scar for the procedure is hidden within the patient's bra-line, which can be
easily concealed with a bikini or a bra.

Back bulges has always been problematic for most
patients because it does not respond to diet or exercise. Even women who
have not had a drastic weight loss and are actively fit can have a lot of skin
laxity - which will cause back bulges and rolls. Coping with loose skin
with having a bulge above or below the bra can be overwhelming. A Bra Line
Back Lift takes all the redundant skin that has laxity or sagging to it and
simply eliminates the problem.

Liposuction was initially developed in 1974 to
surgically remove fat using specialized surgical instructions and vacuum
suction. Liposuction is effective if the patient's back rolls consist of
fat and their skin still has good elasticity so the skin will snap back into
shape.

Liposuction is specific with its ability to eliminate fat.
With a Bra-Line Back Lift it targets "excess skin" not back fat. The
surgeon can suck out the fat with liposuction - and leave behind loose, hanging
skin.

With liposuction a surgical instrument known as a
cannula is used to extract the fat deposits from a specific area.

infra-scapular
back fat - Infra-scapular fat
(female flanks) is located above the waist and below the shoulder blades.
This is the unsightly fat that bulges just below the bra strap.

posterior
axillary back fat-
Posterior axillary fat is located on the upper-outer back near the armpit

The type of liposuction that is used in a
certain area depends on the following:

Your overall
health

Skin quality

Body mass

Estimated volume
of fat to be removed

Number of sites
that need to be treated

The incision for back liposuction is normally
located near the armpit or axillary area. The incision is small compared
to the Bra Line Back Lift - which leaves a much larger scar. The number
one concern with liposuction is the quality of the skin and how it will react
once the fat is removed from the area.

Patients need to adhere to the post operative instructions given by their own
plastic surgeon. Limiting any heavy lifting, activity, exercise, or
bending could possibly cause a hematoma or a
seroma. Some surgeons might
utilize drains in order to make sure no post operative hematoma or seroma will
happen. If drains are used, they normally only stay in for a few days.

After a period of two
weeks, most patients are able to slowly increase their range of motion and
activity level. Every patient is different with their recovery period, so
it is not unusual if it should take someone longer to get back to their daily
routine without too much tightness or discomfort.